The present invention relates to information systems including at least one web server which is accessible via a network by user or client equipment operating web browser software. In its particular aspects, the present invention relates to a web system or site which provides web or hypertext pages and/or other data objects that are personalized to the user. While, the present invention addresses personalization in an internal network, known as an intranet, maintained by a hospital or similar institution, many of its principles are also applicable to intranets in other settings, to internets, and to the World Wide Web accessible via the essentially global network known as the Internet.
Intranets are internal information networks which are based on internet standards and protocols. World Wide Web tools are an ideal integration solution for providing health care workers almost immediate access to data from multiple sources in a hospital or other patient care giving setting. Easy and uniform access to medical records, laboratory results, images, notes, transcribed reports, and practice guidelines, can be obtained via the intranet from a web server by user's computer or other web browser capable equipment. However, the presumed needs, declared interests, appropriate levels of access to computer based patient records (CPR), and physical and equipment environments of users differ widely in such a setting.
Conventional personalization systems match users to their declared and/or logged topics of interest but do not take into account their needs presumed from their professional attributes and assigned work, their access levels to CPR or their physical and equipment environments.